Ice making apparatus



Oct. 23, 1962 w. G. KNlFFlN ICE MAKING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledJune-28, 1961 INVENTOR.

Wa/fer G. Kn/ff/n His Altar/78y Oct. 23, 1962 w. G. KNlFFlN ICE MAKINGAPPARATUS Filed June 28, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 0 7 8 6. E M 2 m w m m wE 4 3 O a I Ill. 09 l a F 2 m 6 4 l m m 9 2 m w m w w m \l 6 8 2 m Ln 2g fi H 7| 6 2 m an mm B 5 I 4 l m .L. 9 m w I 2 w 4 2 m m 6 nm mINVENTOR. Walter G. Kn/ff/n His Ar orney Oct. 23, 1962 w. e. KNlFFlN3,059,445

ICE MAKING APPARATUS Filed June 28, 1961 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 W I26 &

INVENTOR. Walter G. Kn/ffl'n BY H/s Af/om y United States Patent3,059,445 ICE MAKING APPARATUS Walter G. Knifin, Dayton, Ohin, assignorto General Meters Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a cerporation of DelawareFiled dune 28, 1961, Ser- No. 12%,435 3 Claims. (til. 62-135) Thisinvention relates to ice makers or ice making apparatuses of theso-called melt-out ice block type and particularly to a thermallyoperated water valve unit therefor.

Certain types of automatically or semiautomatically operated ice blockmaking machines have not been entirely satisfactory. A machine orapparatus of the type I am referring to is shown and described in thepatent to H. W. Clum, #2402058, dated September 3, 1946. Such machinesare characterized by employment of the so-called melt-out ice blockprinciple wherein incoming water to one empty compartment of a plural ortwo comparted mold or freezing device is used to warm a Wall common tocompartments of the mold for thawing and releasing ice blocks fromanother compartment in the mold and are incapable of fast ice productionand for this reason their salability has been retarded. This incapability of these machines is due primarily to insufiicienttemperature difference between water entering the one compartment andice previously frozen in the other compartment which requires too muchtime to elfect re lease of ice blocks from the cold. My inventioncontemplates an arrangement in ice making machines utilizing theprinciple stated for increasing the productivity of ice blocks therebywithout noticeably affecting the efficiency of a refrigerating systemassociated therewith.

An object of my invention is to provide an improvement in an ice blockmaking machine or apparatus which will increase the rate at which iceblocks are released from a mold or freezing device thereof.

Another object of my invention is to provide an arrangement forartificially heating a measured body of Water from a source of supplythereof outside a freezing chamber housing an ice block maker includinga plural comparted mold having a wall between and common to compartmentstherein prior to discharging the heated body of water into onecompartment of the mold for warming its common wall to increase the rateat which ice blocks thaw loose from walls of another compartment of themold for more rapidly releasing ice blocks therefrom and to cause fasterrechilling of the mold and freezing of Water in the one compartmentthereof.

A further object of my invention is to provide an ice making machine orapparatus of the type herein described with a combined water trapping,measuring and heating unit which discharges a heated body of water intothe mold or freezing device thereof in response to a change intemperature of the water being heated.

In carrying out the foregoing object it is a still further and morespecific object of my invention to provide the combined water unit withan electric heater energized automatically in response to movement ofthe mold of the ice machine and with a thermal valve element which isactuated in response to temperatures of water in the unit fordischarging heated water therefrom into a compartment of the mold.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention isclearly shown.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary sectional view partly in elevation takenthrough an insulated refrigerator cabinet containing in a chamberthereof an ice block making and releasing apparatus schematicallyshowing the unit of my invention associated therewith;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the lines 22 ofFIGURE 1 showing the thermal element in my combined Water measuring,heating and discharging unit in one position;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the thermal element of thewater unit shown in FIGURE 2 illustrating the element in anotherposition;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 showing the thermal element ofthe water unit in still another position;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the lines 5-5 ofFIGURE 4 showing the anchorage of a spring-biased paddle-like member inthe combined unit;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the lines 6-6 ofFIGURE 2 showing the mounting of an electric heater in the water unit;and

FIGURE 7 is a diagrammatic view illustrating an electric circuitemployed in the present improvement.

As hereinbefore pointed out, my invention relates to an improvement in aparticular type of ice making apparatus which may be fully automatic inoperation to admit water into a mold thereof, to freeze the water intoice blocks in the mold, to rotate the mold and release ice blockstherefrom and to thereafter repeat this cycle. Such an ice maker andcontrols therefor is fully shown and described in the Clum patenthereinbefore identified and reference is made to this patent so as toshorten the present specification. The apparatus shown in FIGURE 1 ofthe drawings is substantially a duplicate of FIGURE 2 of the Clum patenthaving my combined water measuring, heating, discharging unit and itsheater substituted for the water valve and its actuating solenoidrespectively disclosed in FIGURE 4 of this patent, except that in myimprovement heated water is discharged from the measuring and heatingunit in response to a change or increase in temperature of the measuredbody of water trapped in the unit.

In order to render my invention entirely feasible in an apparatus of thetype shown in the Clum patent, the ice mold therein may be provided withthe additional improvement disclosed in the copend-ing application of P.E. Upchurch, Serial No. 4,354, filed January 25, 1960, entitled IceMaking Device, now Patent #3,004,405, dated October 17, 1961, andassigned to the assignee of this application. Before proceeding with thedescription of my invention I desire it to be understood that allreference numerals below 99 herein employed correspond to numeralsdepicting elements shown and described in the Clum patent, while thosenumerals above 99 herein employed indicate elements constituting partsof my improvement over this patent.

Referring now to the drawings, I show in FIGURE 1 thereof an ice blockmaking apparatus within a freez ing chamber of a refrigerator cabinet 10provided with a combined water trapping, measuring and heating unit,generally represented by the reference numeral 10%, located outsidechamber 13 beyond the insulation 15 and preferably mounted on the backwall of the refrigerator. This combined unit 1% has a connection 191with pipe 5% and is connected, by pipe 162, to a source of water supply,under pressure, such as the water main leading into the residence orbuilding in which refrigerator 10 is located. Unit 1% (see FIGURE 2)comprises a hollow metal casting or body 1%, angularly flanged as at 1%,provided with a hollow cover 1%, vented at two places, also angularlyflanged as at 1&7. A substantially cup-shaped flexible molded plastic orresilient rubber-like diaphragm 108 has its peripheral edges lockedbetween flanges 1&5 and 197 of casting 104 and cover 1% respectively byscrews or bolts 1'89 which secure thecover to the casting. Thesubstantially cup-shaped diaphragm 108 is adapted to lie against uprightinner wall surfaces of casting 104 and against a metal screen 111resting on a ledge 112 provided in the casting when unit 169 is notconnected to a source of water pressure (see FIG- URE 4). Asubstantially U-shaped wire spring having the end 114 of legs of the Usprung or torsioned and anchored in vent holes 116 bored in cover 1% andis provided with one or more convolutions 117 disposed in hollow bosses1180f the cover (see FIGURE The anchorage of ends 114 in the holes 116and the disposition of convolutions 117 of the U-shaped spring in bosses118 secure this spring in position within unit 100. The base and mainparts of leg portions of the U-shaped wire spring are encased in aplastic or the like sleeve member 119, preferablymolded thereover, whichprovides a stiff pivotally movable paddle or blade within unit 16%}.This molded plastic member prevents the wire spring from biting into anddamaging diaphragm 193. This spring tensioned paddle or blade member 119tends to bias the diaphragm 108 into the position thereof, as shown inFIGURES 4 and 5 of the drawings. A coil resistance type electric heater,generally represented by the reference numeral 12% is enclosed in anonelectric conducting sleeve and is located within unit 1% below screen111 therein and its terminal ends 121 and 122 extending through, aresecured to and insulated from casting 1134 by suitable packing orclamping glands 123 (see FIG- URE 6) for connecting the heater into asuitable electric circuit (see FIGURE 7). Heaters of this type are wellknown and are used as surface heating units on electric stoves orranges. A boss 126 provided on casting 104 is bored out as at 12.7 tocommunicate with pipe 102 and provide unit 100 with a water inletconnection which opens into the hollow chamber of the unit formed bysecured-together casting 1M- and cover 1-96. The boss 126 is also boredout to provide a valve seat 128 having a passage therein connected towater inlet 127 and to provide a shoulder 129 against which a washer-'like valve plate 131 is abutted. A hollow nut-lilre plug 132 threadedinto boss 126 secures valve plate 131 in position. This plug 132communicates with the connection 101 and pipe 59 for directing waterfrom combined unit 100 into receptacles or compartments 2% and 21 ofmold 19. of casting 104 a thermalresponsive power element orthermostatic valve means and this element or means may, insofar as thepresent invention is concerned, be of any suitable or well-knowncharacter. It is preferably a means comprising a sealed casing 135containing a substance such as a wax sealed therein and which wax undercertain different temperatures changes its condition from substantiallya solid into a liquid and a plunger or piston 137 within and movablerelative to orinto and out of casing 136 in accordance with theexpansion and con-.

" 128. An adjustable valve 141 is, mounted on the stem of piston 137 anda coil spring 142 is interposed between valve 141 and hollow nut-likeplug 132. While. the thermostatic means or thermal power element'is atroom temperature, say, for example between 65 to 85 F.,'the lowerportion of casing 136 thereof rests on valve plate 131 with its pistonor plunger 137 contracted into casing 136 whereby spring 1 12 forcesvalve 141 against the valve seat or plate 131 to close the opening inthe washerlike plate. 'This is the normal cooled-down position of thethermostatic Valve or power element and while in such position waterfror'na source of supply thereof is prevented from passing through thecombined unit There is movably located within boss 126' According to myinvention combined unit 160 is adapted to receive and, by virture of thepredetermined capacity of the hollow chamber part of the unit, measure abody of water to heat the body of water outside the refrigerated chamberor compartment and to then discharge the measured heated body of waterinto a mold within the chamber of an apparatus of the type disclosed inthe Clum patent hereinbefore identified. Assume that unit 100 has beenconnected to the water supply source, that the refrigerating systemassociated with the refrigerator has been placed in operation and thatupright receptacles of mold 19 have been manually filled, by a pitcheror the like with Water to be frozen into ice blocks. Unit 100 is outsideinsulated walls of refrigerator 1% and thermal responsive power element136 is at room temperature or is in a cooled-down state, resting onvalve plate 131 with its one valve 139 open and with its other valve 141closed (see FIGURE 2) whereby the pressure of water in the water main1G2 has shifted the paddle member within the unit and has caused itschamber to be filled with a measured body of water. As the Waterinitially placed in upright receptacles of mold 19 freezes, thermostaticswitch 68 senses the low temperature of the frozen ice blocks in theupright compartments or receptacles of the'rotatable mold and closes.Closing of switch 68 completes an electric circuit through a battery 67(see FIG- URE 7) by way of conductors or Wires 30a and 39b to energizemotor 3% and start rotation of mold 19. Immediately upon initiatingrotation of mold 19 roller 53 is cammed upwardly out of a recess in camt-tl to the high side 69 of this cam thereby moving arm 61 of switch 56up into contact, as indicated by the dotted lines in FIG- URE 7, withthe stationary switch contact point 70. This completes an electriccircuit from battery 67 through a wire 146, switch arm 61, contact 79and a wire 147m the terminal wire 122 of heater 12b and from theterminal wire 121 of heater 12% through a wire 148 back to the batteryfor energizing the water heater of combined unit 100 while mold 19 isbeing rotated. The remainder of the wiring circuit shown in the Clumpatent, except ice 7 storage receptacle circuit breaking switch 82, isnot necessary in the present control system because water heater in unit100 is discharged therefrom in response to a heated temperature thereoftherein. With heater 120 energized, during rotation of mold 119 themeasured body of Water now contained in unit 100 is heated or brought upto a predetermined temperature before mold 19 is rotated 180 and readiedto receive, in the rotated empty receptacles, heated water for releasingice blocks from the inverted compartments or receptacles of the mold. Asmold 19 is rotated slightly less than 180 roller 58 drops into anotherrecess in cam which action causes switch arm 61to move back to itsnormal location out of engagement with switch contact 70 thus breakingthe electric circuit from battery 67 through wires 147 and 148 to heaterin unit 160. Heater 126 is of an intensity to insure heating of themeasured body of water contained in unit 10!), outside the refrigeratedchamber, to a temperature of preferably and approximately 140 F., whilemold 19 is being rotated a little less than 180. The thermal powerelement in unit 168 responds to atemperature of the body of water aroundF. and at this temperature it extends piston or plunger 137 therefrom toraise casing 136 thereof, against the force exerted by spring 142without compressing same, upwardly of valve plate 131 within boss 126and closes valve 139 upon its seat '128. 'In this manner the body ofwater contained in unit 100 is trapped therein and the unit is closedoff from incoming water at pipe 102. As the temperature of water in unit1041 continues to be increased above 130 F. to approximately F., duringrotation of mold 19 and before heater 120 is tie-energized, the thermalpower element responds to this increased Water temperature to turtherextend piston 137 therefrom and this piston then overcomes the force ofspring 142 and compresses it whereby valve 141 moves away from valveseat 131 to open the passage therein. Opening of valve 141 causes themeasured body of water, at a temperature of 140 F. or higher, to flowfrom combined unit 100 through pipe 50 into the upright receptacles ofmold 19. Now with mold 19 rotated 180 and with valve 139 closed andvalve 141 opened the U-shaped biasing spring in paddle or blade member119 shifts same within unit 100 to move the diaphragm 108 downwardlytherein (see FIG- URE 4) for readying the combined unit to receiveanother measured body of water when the thermal power element cools toroom temperature and moves valves 139 and 141 into the position thereofshown in FIGURE 2 of the drawings. The heated measured body of water ispreferably released from unit 100 into mold 19 adjacent the end thereofat which thermostatic switch 68 is located so that the heat of the wateris quickly conducted to this switch. The heated water causes switch 68to open, at the time roller 58 enters the leading end of a recess 40a ofcam 40 and receptacles or compartment of tray or plural comparted mold19 is in a normal horizontal position, thus breaking the circuit throughwires or conductors 30a and 30b to ale-energize motor 30 and stoprotation of the mold.

The first movements of the thermal responsive power element in unit 100occur while mold 19 is being rotated and the last movement thereof takesplace just prior to the final 180 rotation of the mold. The powerelement or thermostatic valve in combined unit 100 is shown in FIGURE 2of the drawings in a position admitting water under, say, for example,22 to 30 lbs. pressure from the water main supply thereof, pipe 102,into the unit and illustrates the diaphragm 108 shifted upwardly,against the biasing action of spring biased paddle or blade memher 119,into engagement with cover 106 so as to fill unit 100 with a meteredamount or a measured body of water while valve 141 is seated upon valveplate 131 to prevent flow of the water to pipe 50. In FIGURE 3 of thedrawings the thermal element is shown in its first heated and shiftedposition closing off water inlet 127 to unit 100 and in FIGURE 4 thiselement is shown in its second heated shifted position, still closinginlet 127 with valve 141 open whereupon the heated measured body ofwater is caused to be discharged, by spring biased paddle or blade 119,from combined unit 100 through connection 101 and pipe 50 into the mold19.

At the completion of the cycle of the ice maker above described, iceblocks occupy the downwardly facing receptacles of the back-to-back mold19 and the heated water fills the upwardly facing receptacles to therebycontact the common wall between the opposed ice block formingreceptacles or compartments thereof. The measured body of water nowcontained in the upright receptacles or compartments is at a heatedtemperature and its heat is conducted through the common wall, as wellas through other walls, of mold 19 to walls of the inverted receptaclesor compartments for warming them. This heat melts a thin film of icewhere the ice blocks in the inverted receptacles contact walls thereofto thereby thaw ice blocks loose therefrom for releasing them from themold whereupon the released blocks drop into a storage container orbucket 81 located below mold 19 in the lower portion of compartment 18.If mold 19 is provided with the venting improvement principle disclosedin the hereinbefore identified Upchurch patent, the ice blocks will becaused to drop out of the mold more rapidly. At the end of this completecycle thermostatic switch 68 is open and remains in this condition untilwater in the upstanding receptacles or compartments of mold 19 is cooledand frozen at which time switch 68 again senses the low temperature ofthe ice and closes to initiate another cycle, as described, forcontinued and successive production of ice blocks by the apparatus. Thedischarge of heated water into mold 19 afiects the efficiency of therefrigerating system associated with refrigerator 10 onlyinfinitesimally and advantages derived from utilizing the heated wateras herein disclosed greatly outweigh this slight inefiiciency.

From the foregoing it should be apparent that I have provided animprovement in ice block making machines or apparatuses which reducesthe time required to rid receptacles or compartments of a mold employedtherein of ice blocks whereby to relieve the mold of a cold mass, below32 F., so as to thereby speed up freezing of water and formation of iceblocks in another or other receptacles or compartments in the mold. Bymy invention I increase the number of ice blocks that can be producedover a given period of operation of an ice making machine withoutnecessarily enlarging the capacity of a refrigerating system associatedtherewith. My improvement eliminates an inadequacy of a melt-out moldtype ice block making apparatus to render same practical and salable andinsures a ready supply of ice blocks to be harvested from a refrigeratorequipped with such apparatus.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosedconstitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other formsmight be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In an ice making apparatus comprising in combination:

(a) a chamber cooled to a temperature well below (b) a plural compartedmold within said chamber provided with a wall between and common tocompartments in said mold,

(0) one of said compartments being adapted to receive water for warmingsaid common mold wall to effect release of an ice block previouslyfrozen in another compartment of the mold adjacent said one compartment,

(d) a container outside said chamber for receiving and storing ameasured body of water from a source of supply thereof to be admitted tosaid mold,

(2) said container being provided with an inlet passage having a pipeconnection with said source of water pp y,

(f) said container also being provided with an outlet passage having apipe connected thereto for conveying water from the container to saidmold,

(g) a single thermostatic element within said container directlycontacted by water received therein normally closing its outlet passageand forming without the aid of additional elements the sole means forcontrolling both said inlet and said outlet passages thereof,

(h) means for heating water stored in said container to a predeterminedtemperature, and

(i) said single thermostatic element being movable in response to aheated temperature of water in the container below said predeterminedtemperature for closing said container inlet passage and further movablein response to said predetermined temperature of water in the containerfor opening said container outlet passage whereby the measured body ofheated water is discharged into said one compartment of the mold.

2. In an ice making apparatus comprising in combination:

(a) a chamber cooled to a temperature well below (b) a plural compartedmold within said chamber provided with a wall between and common tocompart ments in said mold,

(0) one of said compartments being adapted to receive water for warmingsaid common mold wall to efiect release of an ice block previouslyfrozen in another compartment of the mold adjacent said one compartment,

(d) a container outside said chamber for receiving and 7 storing ameasured body of water from a source of supply thereof to be admitted tosaid mold,

(e) said container being provided with an inlet passage having a pipeconnection with said source of water pp y,

(1) said container also being provided with an outlet passage having apipe connected thereto for conveying water from the container to saidmold,

'(g) the inlet and outlet passages of said container being aligned withone another,

(h) a single thermostatic element within said container disposedintermediate the aligned inlet and outlet passages thereof and formingwithout the aid of additional elements the sole means for controllingsaid passages,

(i) said thermostatic element normally closing said container outletpassage and being directly contacted by water received in the container,

(j) means for heating water stored in said container to a predeterminedtemperature,

(k) said single thermostatic element being bodily movable in response toa heated temperature of water in the container below said predeterminedtemperature thereof in one direction for closing said container inletpassage, and

(I) said single thermostatic element having a portion movable in adirection opposite said one direction of movement of the portion thereofwhich closes the container inlet passage in response to saidpredetermined temperature of water in said container for opening thecontainer outlet passage whereby the measured body of heated water isdischarged into said one compartment of the mold.

3. In an ice making apparatus comprising in combination:

(a) a chamber cooled to a temperature well below 32 F., I j

(b) a plural comparted mold Within said chamber provided with a Wallbetween and common to cornpartrnents in said mold,

() one of said compartments being adapted to receive water for warmingsaid common mold Wall to effect release of an ice block previouslyfrozen in another compartment of the mold adjacent said one compartment,

(d) a container outside said chamber for receiving and storing ameasured body of water from a source of supply thereof to be admitted tosaid mold,

(e) said container being provided with an inlet pas sage having a pipeconnection with said source of Water supply,

(1) said container also being provided with an outlet passage having apipe connected thereto for conveying water from the container to saidmold,

(g) the inlet and outlet passages of said container being aligned withone another,

(h) a single thermostatic element within said container disposedintermediate the aligned inlet and outlet passages thereof and formingwithout the aid of additional elements the sole means for controllingsaid passages,

(i) said thermostatic element being directly contacted by Water receivedin said container and having a first valve thereon at one end thereofnormally closing the container outlet passage,

(j) means for heating water stored in said container to a predeterminedtemperature,

(k) said single thermostatic element having a second valve thereon atthe other end thereof,

(1) said thermostatic element being bodily movable in response to aheated temperature of water in the container below said predeterminedtemperature thereof for causing said second valve to close the inletpassage to said container while said first valve thereon is closing thecontainer outlet passage, and

(m) said second valve of said single thermostatic element being movablerelative thereto in a direction opposite the direction of bodilymovement thereof in response to said predetermined temperature of waterin said container for opening the container outlet passage while itsinlet passage is closed by said first valve whereby the measured body ofheated water only is discharged into said one compartment of the mold.

References Qited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,368,181 Vernet Jan. 30, 1945 2,778,198 Heath Jan. 22, 1957 2,941,377Nelson June 21, 1960 2,994,206 Shaw Aug. 1, 1961 3,003,328 Baurlein Oct.10, 1961 3,012,410 Hubacker Dec. 12, 1961

